Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-10-13
HIS TR|BUTE!
Sad Memories Clustering About
Decoration Day.
WHILE THE NATION MOURNS OVER
THE GRAVES OF ITS SOL
DER DEAD.
President Cleveland Goes . Fishing Re-
gardiess OF tho bay Held Scored by
Those Mindful Of the Homes Desoistei
BY the Carnage Of Battle.

Those Mindful Of the Homes DesOlated
by the Carnage Of Battle.
One portion of Governor Foraker's
MiddletOwn speech will live in the mem
Ories of men long after Grover Cleveland
is forgotten. 1t has few equals and no
superiors in the English language. Gov
ernor Foraker, i'll closing his speech,
said:
But now let us consider further.
Have You ever stopped 10 think what II
world of beautiful. sacred and holy
Thought is connected with Decoration
Day Yes. | know you have, because
you are a patriotic people. do not need.
therefore. to dwell upon the significance
of that day. But allow me 10 briefly re
by the loyal people of this country on
every Both day of May.
As the day approaches the warming
sunshine of spring time brings out the
flowers As they peep and bud, bloom
and blossom, the mothers and widows
and orphans note their coming and
watch with anxious care for the brightest
and most beautiful. They have a special
Use for them. They are thinking of the
dark and trying days of lS6l-'65. They
are recalling idolized, darling boys. hus-
bands and fathers. who volunteered and
marched away after the flag. never To re-
turn again. They remember. as though
il was but Yesterday, the last fond en- =
brace. Thcy again feel the wrcnchiug Gt
the chord strings of the heart. They a:s
once more blinded with tears. They re
call that strange. wild delirium of war
They again hear the rattle Of the drum
| the shrill, piercing notes of the fife.
| They once more see the flag floating on
the breeze. They hear again the resound-
ing tramp of marching men. They see
| pale but determined faces in line
Hark, they are moving They are of
| They fade out Of sight forever. Oh God
can any language express the utter lone
| lness and desolation Of the mothers
and wives who thus gave up their loved
nnes Think of them as they returned to
| their homes. there to wait and watch and
| pray until their darlings might come
again. Recall if you can how the lonely
wife with her haplcss babe struggled to
exc ont a subsistence, and how each day
she tried with Spartan heroism to cheer
her inluiring children with stories of
what they would do when papa should
come marching home again; and oil, ,
anguish unSpcakabie. when at last;
| like a thunderboit. the news comes
that there has been another great
battle, ard in the list of the dead
is found the name of that dear
one. Recall if you can the terrible
| scenes. the great sacrifices, the unutter-
| able woe of that fearful time. and then
You can appreciate what is passing in the
minds Of the mothers. the widow and the
orphans, and the surviving comrades as
they note the budding and blooming Of
the bright flowers of spring time They
are thinking again of the low grassy
mound in the cemetery. where lie ald
sleep their last sleep the hrave-h"arted
heroes who went down in the prime Of
| tn :ir manhood.
AT last the day comes All business
:. suspended. A holy hush falls upon
the whole land. The Grand Army bows
gather at their post headquarters. They
irush up their uniforms, polish their
,uttons, get out the flag and beneath its
t"lds with solemn step, and keeping time
20 the drum beat, they march again Not.
aowever, to battle. The drum is muffied.
The flag is draped They are marching
To the sacred spots where their comrades
lie. The mothers, the fathers. the widows.
the orphans. the whole community fall
into the procession. and all wend their
WAY TO the places of the dead. Here are
a score of the most beautiful little maid
ems of the place. They carry baskets of
flowers. The are laden with the bright
est garlands that can be woven. They
look like very angels from heaven The
cemetery is reached. Patriotic words
are spoken. and every head is barred and
every heart is bowed, while Almighty
God is wor>hiped, and His divine bless
ing invoked and received.
The little girls 20 forward. The flow
ers are scattered. and as they fall every
eye il wet with tears. Just rs | see are
:he eyes Of hundreds of you now Every
soul seems lifted up 10 a hixser plane. II
is a Nearer my God to Thee time. All
who have participated are better, purer.
and holier for having done So They
have performed sacred and ennobling
duty; they have done what every patriot
should do. 1t is almost impossible to be
lieve that any intelligent patriotic
American citizen could allow the day to
iass without its due observance Look
ont through your mind and behold the
picture of the whole land 50 engaged. See
with your mental vision this beautiful
ceremony occurring in every cemetery
from one ocean To the other. Behold the
widows, the orphans. the mothers, the
veteran survivors there assembled See
the rising generations as they drink in
the wholesome and inspiring lessons of
ps;rs.tism. Listen TO the prayers for our
country, the dead. the living and the
future generations of America. Hear the
thrilling songs that are sung and the
words of patriotism that are spoken. and
As you hold all this picture in your mind.
remember that if there is one man who
more than all others has been benefited
by the sacrifices that are being honor ed
one man more than all others who should
manifest appreciation for those sacrifices
and be glad 70 engage in such patriotic,
appropriate and sacred ceremonies, it is
the president of the United States. who,
but for the deeds of such heroes would
not have had any government to be
president Of. Surely il must be a sacred
lay with him. Surely his heart is over
lowing with emotion.
.lH.l l.ai ot
IF these cemeteries. engaged in these
beautiful duties. Look and find him. Ii
VIII be interesting TO note how. with his
whole soul, he enjoys them. You look !
III vain, What, can't you see him any
where; Look again, You must be mis- |
taken. Look at Gettysburg, Arlington,
Nashville. Chattanooga He must GER
tainly he AT some one of the National |
cemeteries. where sleep by the thousands |
the men who made il possible for him to |